Conglomerate Cafe

Midwest Living Review

Trevor Meers

Get typical cafe breakfasts and lunches in a downtown storefront that recalls the boom days of Calumet.

This storefront cafe in downtown Calumet has all the elements to bring to mind the glory days when Calumet was enjoying a copper boom and its status as one of the leading cities of the Upper Midwest. The Conglomerate Cafe sits among the grand Victorian buildings on one of Calumet's main streets and still has the wooden floors and fireplace from the time when barons and miners walked the streets. A mural on the wall depicts miners striking for better wages and working conditions. If male diners need to use the restroom, they must squeeze through a door in the corner and descend to the basement, where they'll discover a rainy-day hideout with a pool table and loaded bookshelves. Breakfast and lunch menus include a variety of skillets (potatoes topped with eggs, etc.), omeletes and sandwiches. The omeletes we tried were competent but nothing unusual. The thick, whole-grain bread and baked goods were our favorite parts of the meal. For breakfast, the Conglomerate is a great bet. It's solid for lunch, but not as inventive or glamorous as the Michigan House down the street.